Creative Entertainment Group: New York City: About Us

Creative Entertainment Group was founded in 1994 by Mike Maietta and Howie Schnee. Our clients benefit from the diverse backgrounds of the founders. As principals of Creative Entertainment Group (CEG), Howie and Mike each bring with them over a decade of music industry experience in the areas of artist management and development, event promotion, marketing, sponsor relations and booking.

Creative Entertainment Group is a full-service entertainment company offering management, booking, production, event marketing, sponsorship and promotional services to corporations, venues and musical acts.

In addition to booking and promoting all concerts and events at New York City's best small music venue -- Sullivan Hall, CEG also promotes and produces concerts and events in and around New York City, New Orleans, New Jersey, San Francisco, and other markets under the moniker of
CEG Presents with artists such as Aaron Neville, Brandi Carlile, Brazilian Girls, Dashboard Confessional, Derek Trucks Band, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Disco Biscuits, Dr. John, G. Love and Special Sauce, Galactic, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, Gene Ween, George Porter Jr. & Runnin’ Pardners, Guster, Keller Williams, Kermit Ruffins, Lettuce, The Low Anthem, Marco Benevento, Medeski Martin & Wood, moe., N. Miss Allstars, Orgone, Phil Lesh, The Radiators, Rebirth Brass Band, Robert Randolph & the Family Band, The Slip, Soul Coughing, Soulive, String Cheese Incident, Tea Leaf Green, Trombone Shorty, Umphrey’s McGee, Warren Haynes and more at such venues as New York City’s BB King’s, Brooklyn Bowl, City Winery, Highline Ballroom, Irving Plaza, Le Poisson Rouge, South Street Seaport (Water Taxi Beach), and concert cruises ranging from 200 – 500 capacity; Maxwell’s, Mexicali Live, and the State Theater of New Brunswick in NJ; San Francisco’s Mezzanine; House of Blues (Los Angeles); Republic, Tipitina’s French Quarter & Uptown, The Temple, Le Petit Theater, and the Blue Nile in New Orleans, etc.

They have managed or done artist development work with acts such as Antigone Rising, Billy Mann, and Nine Days, working closely with such record companies such as Lava, Atlantic, Epic and A&M. Today, CEG does exclusive management for one of the biggest touring club acts in the country Badfish, as well as Scotty Don't, Project/Object, and Dead On.

CEG is the co-producer of the Garden Grove Festival centered around management client Badfish. We are also the co-producer of the Backbeat Jazzfest Concert Series in New Orleans along with New Orleans-based Hypersoul & the Backbeat Foundation.

CEG regularly produces private parties, corporate events, benefits and fundraisers for organizations and companies such as Australian Consulate, Billboard, Brazil Child Health, ESPN, Facebook Developers Group, GMR Entertainment, Hole In The Wall Gang Camps, The Howard Stern Show, The Lime Group, NY Tech Meetup Group, Pandora, ropeadope, Tulane University and the Winter Jazz Festival.

CEG has demonstrated savvy by promoting their artists and events using the Internet in innovative ways. The company’s promotional background and experience has led to the expansion of their third-party marketing division. With years of experience promoting their own events and artists, CEG has developed a variety of non-traditional media solutions in the market that has yielded great success and return. Marketing clients include AEG, Bowery Presents, Live Nation & more.

Mike Maietta

Before starting CEG, Mike got his start in the music business in the early 90’s. While attending Syracuse University, he worked at Creative Concerts (presently known as Eastern Artists), an independent concert promotion company run by Chuck Chao. While at Creative Concerts, Mike produced shows by Spin Doctors, Phish, Dream Theatre, Stanley Jordan, Joe Cocker, Bob Dylan, and Allman Brothers. Mike entered the world of artist management with a band called The Authority from New York City that he promoted in Syracuse and moved back home to the NYC area to be able to go on the road with the band. In 1994, he and partner Howie Schnee formed CEG.

Howie Schnee

Before starting CEG, Howie got his start in the music business at Music Unlimited, a management and booking company owned by David Graham (son of the late concert impresario Bill Graham). While at Music Unlimited, Howie helped in all aspects of the company, which oversaw the careers of Blues Traveler and The Hatters, produced major concerts with acts such as Phish and The Spin Doctors at Arrowhead Ranch, an upstate New York venue, and consulted on Lollapalooza and HORDE Festival, the premier alternative rock touring shows of the time. Before starting Creative Entertainment Group, Howie also worked in the marketing department of Carnegie Hall, and at the Bottom Line nightclub. In 1994, he and partner Mike Maietta formed CEG.

Jeff Garibaldi

A fresh face to the music industry, Jeff got his start in 2004 working for MTV after receiving an Economics degree at Union College. While at MTV, in an attempt to gain first hand experience in the industry, Jeff began working with a young band from his hometown by the name of Suburban Graffiti. He slowly integrated himself into the group as an emcee, integrating hip hop over the bands 6 piece funk grooves. After a year spent managing and promoting the group, setting up gigs at local venues around his home state of New Jersey and still working at MTV in order to support his ambitions, Jeff was employed by CEG. Though he is no longer with MTV, he continues to pursue his aspirations with Baldi & Suburban Graffiti, while working full time as CEG's promotional designer and webmanager.

Jennifer Sellers

Jennifer found herself involved in the music industry since 2001 while attending William Paterson University. During her time there, she assisted in showcasing young musical talent throughout the university and neighboring towns. She worked at Worldwide Entertainment Group and Big 3 Entertainment with Dave Lory and David Leach assisting in the careers of Courtney Love and Cheap Trick. Jennifer now manages North Jersey ska band Boss Relief and has a network of local bands she works with in building their careers and booking shows. She volunteers with LIFEbeat.org where you may see her handing out condoms at NYC shows. Jen is currently involved in many projects in various facets of the music industry and has planted her feet down at CEG since late 2005.